Reading scientific notation involves understanding its components: a number between 1 and 10 (the coefficient), multiplied by 10 raised to a power (the exponent).
Here's a breakdown:
- Identify the coefficient: This is the number between 1 (inclusive) and 10 (exclusive). For example, in 8.3 x 105, the coefficient is 8.3.
- Identify the exponent: This is the power of 10. In the example above, the exponent is 5.
- Interpret the exponent:
- Positive exponent: Move the decimal point in the coefficient to the right the number of places indicated by the exponent. So, 8.3 x 105 becomes 830,000.
- Negative exponent: Move the decimal point in the coefficient to the left the number of places indicated by the exponent's absolute value. For example, 8.3 x 10-5 becomes 0.000083.
Example:
Let's read 3.0 x 10-8.
- Coefficient: 3.0
- Exponent: -8
- Interpretation: Since the exponent is negative, move the decimal point 8 places to the left. This gives us 0.00000003.
Therefore, 3.0 x 10-8 is equal to 0.00000003. Scientific notation is a standardized way of writing very large or very small numbers, making them easier to read and compare.
